Northfax
Northfax is one of five activity centers designated by the City of Fairfax Planning Commission (February 2026) for special attention and zoning review for mixed-use development, with an adopted Small Area Plan estimating 1,400 new residential units in the near term. 2 separate matters touch this place; each has its own status.
Courthouse Plaza
Courthouse Plaza (10300 Willard Way and 3922 Blenheim Boulevard) is a shopping center redevelopment project in the CR Commercial Retail/Old Town Fairfax Transition Overlay District, proposed by Combined Courthouse, LLC. The project has proceeded through two distinct application cycles.
- Feb 12, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5dStakeholder Update – Planning Commission
Northfax was designated by the Planning Commission as one of five activity centers requiring special attention and zoning review for mixed-use development.
- Mar 9, 2026Planning Commission · item 4aPresentation from students at Katherine Johnson Middle School on ideas for development at Northfax and Courthouse Plaza
Students presented development ideas for the Northfax area, focusing on stormwater management, pedestrian safety, greenery, and solar panels.
- May 4, 2026School Board · item 2.03KJMS Student City Redevelopment Presentation
[2.03] KJMS students presented redevelopment ideas for the Northfax area, including pervious surfaces, daylighting a stream, greenery, solar panels, and mixed-age business suggestions.
- Jul 9, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 4Stakeholder Updates
A townhouse proposal north of the Marriott in Northfax was discussed at the most recent Planning Commission meeting.
Willard Sherwood
The Willard Sherwood Health and Community Center (WSHCC) is a City of Fairfax project to construct a new health and community center, intended in part to replace the aging Green Acres facility for senior services. As of April 2025, the project's future was uncertain due to staffing and building security concerns, with a full City Council presentation scheduled for April 22, 2025, and all city trails work paused in the interim.
- Feb 12, 2026Parks and Recreation Advisory Board · item 5dStakeholder Update – Planning Commission
Northfax was designated by the Planning Commission as one of five activity centers requiring special attention and zoning review for mixed-use development.
- Jun 2, 2026City Council · item 1aKatherine Johnson Middle School students' presentation focusing on sustainability for Northfax and Courthouse Plaza Shopping Center
Katherine Johnson Middle School students Mohana, Halima, and Claire presented a redevelopment proposal for Northfax focusing on sustainability, stormwater, pedestrian safety, and local economy.
- Jun 8, 2026Planning Commission · item 8bDiscussion of a potential review and update to the adopted small area plans for Old Town, Northfax, Kamp Washington, and Fairfax Circle
Identified as one of the areas whose small area plan may be reviewed and updated.
- Jun 23, 2026City Council · item 11aDiscussion of potential reviews and updates to adopted Small Area Plans for Old Town, Northfax, Kamp Washington, and Fairfax Circle
Northfax was identified as one of four areas with adopted Small Area Plans under potential review and update discussion.
- Northfax Concept Phase Four Briefing – Work Session
A Phase Four pre-application briefing for the Northfax concept was scheduled, proposing one seven-story multifamily building, one upper-story mixed-use building, a seven-story parking garage, up to 350 multifamily units, and up to 7,000 sq ft of ground-floor commercial on 3.31 +/- acres.
In full
As of mid-2026, 1,088 units were already in some phase of the land use process within the Northfax activity center. The area has been a recurring focus across multiple bodies: Katherine Johnson Middle School students presented sustainability-focused redevelopment proposals (stormwater management, pervious surfaces, stream daylighting, solar panels, pedestrian safety) to the Planning Commission in March 2026, to the School Board in May 2026, and to City Council in June 2026. The Northfax Small Area Plan — developed alongside the Old Town Fairfax plan — also identified University Drive as a multimodal spine, a project that proceeded through design and was set for a construction contract award in September 2026.
A key active proposal is Northfax West Phase 4, a pre-application briefing for which was scheduled at the July 27, 2026 Planning Commission meeting; it proposes one seven-story multifamily building, one upper-story mixed-use building, a seven-story parking garage, up to 350 multifamily units, and up to 7,000 sq ft of ground-floor commercial on approximately 3.31 acres at 3570 Chambers Road — the final phase of a planned development mixed-use approved in 2020.
Separately, potential review and update of the Northfax Small Area Plan (alongside Old Town, Kamp Washington, and Fairfax Circle) was discussed at the Planning Commission in June 2026 and at City Council in June 2026, with no action taken at either.